Prof. Sky Alton

“A piece of cake” refers to something that was (or will be) easy to do. There are lots of theories as to the origin of this one, some related to the phrase ‘a cake walk’ (also meaning an easy ride). Answer these cake related trivia questions. You’ll receive 2 rubies per correct answer. 1. Who was the Victoria sponge cake named after? 2. The current Guinness world record for longest cake was set in 2020 but how long was the cake? 3. Which two colours commonly form the pattern inside a Battenburg cake? 4. Which country does the famous Sachertorte come from? 5. Which nut is used to create marzipan? Send your answers via the group PM you should have already set up with Prof. Sky Alton, Iverian Gnash and Lorainia Riverrider. You have until 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March!

“It’s not over until the fat lady sings” is a reminder that a situation isn’t final yet and that things could still change. People believe it has its roots in opera. As you know, we have our very own fat lady and She’s looking to add some songs to her repertoire. Pick a song for her and make a case to her as to why you think she should sing it (remember to lay on the flattery!). It can be any song in any genre that you like, providing it's HOL appropriate. Your suggestion/explanation should be at least 80 words long - if you struggle to reach the word count, you can suggest 2 songs. Post your suggestion below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies!

"Hi, Sheila! Good of you to help out. Why don't you help me with the herbology and care of magical creatures prizes?" Sky asks, indicating the cabinet next to the Quidditch case where Maxim is already hard at work. She strolls over and peers ruefully at what they have to work with. "Seem to have at least five Superior Seeker awards in here," she announces to Maxim, quickly extracting them and proffering an armful of shiny plaques. "And a bottle of Skele-gro which I'm sure the hospital wing will be none too pleased to discover is missing...."

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“Now you’re speaking my language” Is often used if someone just said something you agree with or that struck a chord with you for some reason. Here are 5 Harry Potter items and brands as they appear in translations of the books in 5 different languages. Your job is to identify the item's English counterpart and the language, for example '1 - French - Goblet of Fire' (this is not an actual correct answer). 1. fasolki wszystkich smaków Bertiego Botta 2. σοκολατένιοι βάτραχοι 3. Juisi ya Maboga 4. hudlath 5. Der Tagesprophet To earn 10 rubies, send your solution via the group PM you've set up with Prof. Sky Alton, Iverian Gnash and Lorainia Riverrider. You have until 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March!

"Hold Your Horses" is a catch phrase meaning to wait a minute and not rush into something. The origins aren't clear but it definitely refers to slowing down or stopping a horse, rather than giving them a hug! However, you really better hold your horses when doing this colouring page or you may fall off your horse entirely! https://i.postimg.cc/XNPjNPk7/carouselhorses.jpg Post your completed colouring page below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies!

Great to have you, Adeline!

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is a common phrase meaning sometimes looking at a picture can tell you all you need to know about something and do it far better than a written description. It gained popularity in the early 1900s thanks to the advertising industry. Complete this jigsaw puzzle containing a photo of the popular game scrabble - a game where a thousand words are worth more than a picture! Post your completed jigsaw below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies! https://www.jigsawplanet.com/?rc=play&pid=09233af7c6c7 (jigsaw created by katy333)

To have your "head in the clouds" is a common way of saying that you're acting dreamy, distracted and as if your mind is elsewhere. The origins of this one are unclear, though some sources think it began life as 'having your head in the air' (which now means something very different!) Many people don't need help to drift off into a fanciful daze but for those that do, there are Patented Daydream Charms. For this task, we'd love you to design an enchanted daydream that you'd like to have. If you'd rather do it for someone else, pick a Harry Potter character and describe what you think their ideal daydream would be. Your write up needs to be at least 80 words long for full credit. Post your daydreams below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies!

“Put/throw a spanner/wrench in the works” is used to describe someone or something which has upset a plan somehow. The phrase is thought to originate from New Zealand, where someone supposedly dropped a spanner into an oil well and caused an almighty problem. There’s nobody better at this than Peeves! We’d like you to tell us about a time Peeves upset someone’s plans. Alternatively, if you’d rather, you can tell us about how someone outsmarted our pesky poltergeist and ruined his mischief making. These should be events that you’ve created yourself, rather than ones from the Harry Potter books. Your account should be at least 80 words long for full credit! Post your tale below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies

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Um... guys, we've gotten mixed up somewhere. By the reply count, we're actually on 8591 Update: Found the mixup and did some quick editing. We're back on track! :D

We're mid-way through March! Spring is springing around the castle and there are lots of points to be earned. We're somewhat behind in the cup standings but we can easily turn that around if we all pitch in where we can. Remember that every point helps! First up, the Howler is open for submissions! They'd like your articles, puzzles, ads, stories and more on the theme of 'greenery and growth'. You can earn up to 60 points and see your name in print, what could be better? Head over to the main HOL Forum for more info. Deadline: 22nd April As ever, the Art and Library Departments have projects for you to get stuck into. In the library, they're giving you the chance to pitch your own television episode and to share what you discovered at the end of a rainbow. In the Art Department, they're inviting you to show off your hobbies and create an advert for a magical suitcase that's fit for a famous magizoologist. Art Deadline: 31st March Library Deadline: 8th April

“Spill the beans” is used when someone either intentionally or unintentionally reveals some secret information. People aren’t sure where this one comes from, though the idea of ‘spill’ as a metaphor for giving away information has been around for centuries. You’ve recently discovered that Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans will soon be releasing a new radio jingle to advertise some new flavours. Spill the beans and tell us what it is! Your jingle should rhyme and be at least 4 lines long for full credit. Post your jingle below by 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March to earn 10 rubies!

There’s a saying in some parts of the world that the weather in March ‘goes in like a lion, out like a lamb’, meaning that if it starts out wild, it’ll end up mild. That got us thinking of lots of other weird and wonderful idioms, phrases, sayings, proverbs and figures of speech. So we thought… why not make hay while the sun shines and have some fun with them? This activity consists of 10 tasks, with 2 fresh ones posted every 3 days (on the 15th, 18th, 21st, 24th and 27th of March). There’ll be a mixture of puzzles and creative challenges, all themed around a particular idiom or saying. If you're having difficulty with a task for accessibility reasons, let us know and we'll find an alternative that suits you better. Most of the tasks you’ll be able to post as a reply to the particular thread but for puzzle solutions, please create a group PM with Prof. Sky Alton, Lorainia Riverrider and Iverian Gnash all included. Each task will be worth 10 rubies and you’ll get a bonus of 20 if you do them all. So that’s a total of 120. The deadline for everything is 11:59 PM HOL-time on 31st March, so don’t beat around the bush: throw caution to the wind and get on board!

If you have any questions about the activity, ask them here and we'll get back to you ASAP.

Prof. Sky hurries in, carrying a long roll of parchment. "The good news," she announces, "is that I've got a list of everything that should be here. The bad news.... it doesn't say where any of it should go. So, I think we're just going to have to use our common sense." She smiles distractedly round at everyone, giving Sheila a friendly wave.

Looking at the trophy room, it’s not immediately obvious that anything is amiss. All the gleaming glass cabinets are where they should be - there isn’t even a speck of dust on anything. But then you look closer and see that the mess is actually inside. The Situation: Peeves has spent a busy night ‘rearranging’ all the trophies, shields, cups, medals, plaques and other commemorative items in the school trophy room. There are quidditch awards amongst the herbology prizes, medals for spellcasting where Special Awards for Services to the School should be and some very random items here and there which don’t even belong in this room at all. Is that a chamber pot over there? We’re going to need everyone’s help if we’re ever going to make sense of all this! Location: You can roleplay in and around the trophy room. Give the guidelines a read before diving in. Have fun!

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We're already over half way through February! There are a few ways to get your point collecting off to a good start this term. First things first, classes. Have you signed up for the ones you like the look of yet? Remember, even if you can only fit 1 into your schedule, every single point is valuable. If you're looking to flex your creative muscles, hot foot it over to the departments. The Art Department are off on a trip to a fantastical forest and then looking for some warmth in the cold. The library are all loved up and chatting to cupid, while also playing match maker for some unlikely Harry Potter couples. Art Deadline: 1st of March Library Deadline: 15th of March

The easiest way to help out your house and show your lion’s pride is to earn points! There are lots of ways you can do this so you’re bound to find some that play to your strengths. In this post, I’ll give you a brief run-down of the regular point earning opportunities available to you. Whenever a new one opens up throughout the term, we’ll post it as a reply so keep checking back! The first and most obvious is to take part in classes. All classes will give you the chance to earn 300 points in a term through homework and extra credit. If you take several classes (even if you don’t have the time for the maximum of 5 every term), those homework points soon mount up to quite a tidy haul. Class sign-up opened on 1st February 2022 and will remain open until May 20th so remember to put your name down for the classes that interest you and get sending in that homework! (It’s always a good idea to keep an eye on the individual assignment deadlines so that you don’t run out of time or put too much pressure on yourself) The next are the creative projects offered each month by the Library and art departments. If you enjoy getting artsy or brushing up on your writing, visit the 'Departments' tab on the main website. Don't be shy: your submissions are anonymous during the rating period. You can get started by going to your profile and telling everyone 'How you Got Into Harry Potter' in the designated section - that will earn you a cool 10 points! Finally there's the HOL Newspaper. This is a great chance to earn plenty of points by writing about what interests you. If articles and reviews aren’t your thing, it will also offer creative prompts and the chance to submit your own puzzles, graphics and more. Keep an eye on the Newspaper section of the main HOL Forum for updates about the latest issue. https://hol.org.uk/forum/viewforum.php?f=612 Throughout the term, there will be unique and exciting activities to take part in which will give you the chance to earn points along the way. Remember to check the replies to this thread for announcements and reminders about anything that might be occurring!

If you could pick just one day-to-day activity to accomplish with magic, which would it be? For me, I really can't be bothered drying my hair. Being able to tackle it with a quick wand wave would be fabulous. Anyone else have an everyday pet peeve they wish they could just 'whooosh' away with a handy spell?